What Is to Be Must Be
by alynwa
Summary: Originally written for the October Song Story Challenge on LJ. The prompt is "I Shot the Sheriff" by Eric Clapton, lyrics after the story.


Mr. Waverly hated these meetings, cursing them as a necessary evil and a cost of doing business in the United States. _I'm most certain the FBI doesn't have to put up with this nonsense!_ he harrumphed to himself as he followed a uniformed officer into Wyoming's Attorney General's office. It was after midnight and he knew Decker Jones didn't appreciate being ordered out of his bed to meet with the Continental Chief of UNCLE North America by the governor, but oh well.

Attorney General Jones looked up and said, "Alexander Waverly, I assume?" When the older man nodded, Jones snarled, "Let's get this over with, shall we? Have a seat." He stepped over to another door, opened it and motioned for that room's occupants to come forward.

Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuryakin entered the room with their hands cuffed behind their backs. They both straightened up at the sight of their superior. "Good evening, Sir," they said in unison.

"Good evening, Gentlemen." Waverly glared at Jones. "Get your handcuffs off my men immediately."

Jones bristled at the commanding tone. "Now, see here! I don't take orders from you, Waverly!"

The Old Man's calm demeanor belied his anger. "Would you prefer the order come from your Governor or your Senator? Because I will call one or both of them if my men are not released."

Jones looked at the state trooper who was standing by silently. "Take the cuffs off and then leave." He watched as the trooper carried out his orders. When the officer had shut the door behind him and he was now alone with the three UNCLE men, he took a deep breath to calm down, indicated they should all sit and then said, "Governor Richards told me you would tell me why I'm letting murderers leave my jurisdiction."

Napoleon spoke up. "Excuse me, but _I_ shot the sheriff, not my associate."

"Quiet, Mr. Solo."

"Yes, Sir. Sorry."

Mr. Waverly looked at both his agents with an expression that said clearly, to them anyway, _Do not say another word_ before he reached into his briefcase and extracted a file which he tossed onto Jones' desk. "Sheriff John Brown along with his sister had been recruited by a local THRUSH satrap to alert them whenever wealthy people made reservations at her hunting lodge. Once identified, THRUSH would extort money from them through various means. You'll see a couple of men were kidnapped, several married men were set up with women and indiscreet photos were taken, one unfortunate soul was drugged and awoke to find a dead woman in his bed. It's all in the file along with copies of Brown's bank statements showing balances impossible to attain on his salary. Mr. Solo was forced to kill him in self – defense during a shootout because Brown knew the jig was up, as you Americans say, if Mr. Solo and Mr. Kuryakin escaped and made their report."

Jones glanced at the papers in the file and saw the evidence bearing out what Mr. Waverly had said. "After you shot the sheriff, you two surrendered to Deputy Waters. Why did you do that?" he asked Napoleon, who looked at Mr. Waverly to see is he could answer.

When the Old Man nodded he responded, "I didn't shoot the deputy because he is an innocent in all this; he had no idea Brown was crooked. We couldn't fault the man for doing his job. We knew that once we contacted our organization, this would all be explained and we would be released."

"You should know, Attorney General Jones, that an UNCLE Strike Team has taken down the THRUSH nest and the prisoners have been taken away for questioning. We have also detained Sheriff Brown's sister though she will probably be released soon."

"And why is that, Mr. Waverly? Isn't she just as guilty as her brother?"

The Continental Chief stood and began to put on his coat in preparation for departure. "Apparently, Sheriff Brown was quite the greedy sort. He would have dinner with her two or three times a week and steer the conversation to find out who was coming to the lodge. She knows nothing about THRUSH and he gave her none of the money he was getting. Technically, she has committed no crimes. If there is nothing else, my men and I will take our leave."

Two hours later found the three men on an UNCLE jet winging their way back to New York City. Napoleon and Illya sat facing Mr. Waverly; all three men were close to dozing off when Napoleon spoke. "I ah, just want to thank you again for coming to retrieve us, Sir."

"It's always a bit tricky when local law enforcement gets involved in our affairs. It also doesn't help when the miscreant _is_ local law enforcement. You had sufficient proof of Brown's guilt, Mr. Solo; if you had taken him alive, I could have stayed in New York."

"Sorry, Sir, my reflexes got the better of me." Napoleon shrugged. "At least I didn't shoot the deputy. Ow! Illya, why did you kick me?"

"It was an accident. My reflexes got the better of me, too."

"You did that on purpose! You will pay for that, Illya."

"Gentlemen, I suggest that you stop bickering and allow me to sleep."

"Yes, Sir."

 **"I Shot The Sheriff"**

I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy.  
I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy.

All around in my home town  
They're trying to track me down.  
They say they want to bring me in guilty  
For the killing of a deputy,  
For the life of a deputy.  
But I say:

I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defense.  
I shot the sheriff, and they say it is a capital offense.

Sheriff John Brown always hated me;  
For what I don't know.  
Every time that I plant a seed  
He said, "Kill it before it grows."  
He said, "Kill it before it grows."  
I say:

I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defense.  
I shot the sheriff, but I swear it was in self-defense.

Freedom came my way one day  
And I started out of town.  
All of a sudden I see sheriff John Brown  
Aiming to shoot me down.  
So I shot, I shot him down.  
I say:

I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy.  
I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy.

Reflexes got the better of me  
And what is to be must be.  
Every day the bucket goes to the well,  
But one day the bottom will drop out,  
Yes, one day the bottom will drop out.  
But I say:

I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy, oh no.  
I shot the sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy, oh no.


End file.
